Business Journal: Driverless Car Service Talks, El Dorado Hills Town Center, New Downtown Commons Restaurants

Phantom Auto Begins Talks To Bring Driverless Car Service To Sacramento

A driverless vehicle service may be in the works for Sacramento. The city is in talks with Phantom Auto, a Mountain View-based startup.

"This is all still in the discussion phase," says the Sacramento Business Journal's Digital Editor Sonya Sorich. "Those discussions focus on a possible research and development program to look at the feasibility of a driverless vehicle service in Sacramento."

Sorich says Phantom would rely on Verizon's local 5G network during the assessment.

"Its vehicle tests here would likely follow routes where Verizon has the most network coverage, and where city officials believe a future driverless car service route would exist," says Sorich. "We could see routes near the state Capitol and City Hall, as well as near Sacramento State. But again, this is all still in the early stages."

Discussions between Phantom and the city started after the Sacramento Kings announced a bid to host the 2022 or 2023 NBA All-Star Game. As part of that bid, the Kings want to use driverless vehicles to transport visitors around town.

Apartments At El Dorado Hills Town Center

El Dorado Hills may soon be getting new apartments. Builder A.G. Spanos Companies has reached an agreement with development watchdogs that appears to clear the way for a project at El Dorado Hills Town Center.

Sorich says the proposed development at White Rock Road and Vine Street has been at the center of a lot of conversations over the past few years.

"Now, its opponents have agreed to drop a lawsuit challenging a 214-unit version of the project approved earlier this year," says Sorich. "In exchange, developer A.G. Spanos will drop its development rights to a larger version of the same project."

Construction on the market-rate apartments is expected to begin in summer 2019, with planned completion in summer 2021.

More Restaurants At Downtown Commons

Sacramento's restaurant scene continues to grow. Sorich says it looks like two more eateries are joining the growing lineup in Downtown Commons, the retail area around Golden 1 Center.

"One of those eateries is The Pizza Press, a quick-service pizza chain from Anaheim that says it has a 1920s Americana newspaper theme," says Sorich. "It could open this year."

Details about the other possible addition are a little less clear. But a leasing brochure lists Moana Restaurant Group among the dining options in Downtown Commons. Moana, which is from San Rafael, operates several dining brands, including one in the Sacramento area: Piatti in the Pavilions shopping center.